


처음 만나서 반갑다 ~Nice to Meet You~

by Zaxaryah



Category: VIXX
Genre: M/M, Various AU, a bit of Time travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-02
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-04-17 14:55:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 10,236
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14191452
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zaxaryah/pseuds/Zaxaryah
Summary: The first time TaekWoon met HakYeon, he was pretty sure he met HakYeon before.





	1. Chapter 1

The first time he noticed it, he was standing in a train.

Sometimes TaekWoon likes to take public transportation. He doesn’t have to pay attention to anything except which stop he’ll need to get off, so he can bide his time either playing on his phone or just watching the dizzying scenery fly past through the window. Sometimes, even, there are strange things to be observed while riding a bus or train.

“Oh, halmoni, you can sit here.”

TaekWoon instantly jumped to his feet as soon as the elder stepped into the car. She thanked him, sliding into the seat he had previously occupied, as he easily reached up to hold on to the railing above them. Being tall sometimes had its perks.

They rode along for a while, no one paying attention to anyone else. And then it happened.

He almost mistook the odd feeling for a usual stop, the train gradually slowing down before it reached the platform of the station, but it was wrong. The old trains usually lurched and rattled on the tracks, the cease to a stop never fluid and graceful. No, this time it was a single, gradual motion. TaekWoon blinked. It wasn’t yet time for the train to stop. They still had some time until they reached the next station, and there weren’t any crossroads where the train would need to stop for traffic.

No. The train slowed, almost to a halt. It started to go backwards.

_What?!_

It didn’t last long, but it was long enough to be noticeable, as if some super-cosmic being dragged the train back in its slow inhale and let the train continue as it sighed. If anything, the motion was nothing very alarming.

No, but trains don’t usually backtrack on the rails just for the fun of it.

“Wah!”

TaekWoon stumbled as the train pushed forward again, almost losing his grip on the metal handrail. Surely, surely, everyone else would have noticed what had just happened, but there were only a few murmurs of surprise, the train car bouncing on its shocks thus causing the occupants to jostle a bit in their seats and on their feet. On the other hand, TaekWoon was frazzled. Was this some complicated, Harry Potter stunt? Trains just can’t suddenly go backwards. It goes against the laws of physics.

He darted his eyes around, trying to see if anyone else was as discombobulated as he was. No one spared him any attention, most glued to their phones or staring blankly at nothing at all. One guy seemed to have noticed the awkward scene TaekWoon had made, but he immediately redirected his glance elsewhere, uninterested.

Nervous spikes were jabbing through his chest, so TaekWoon forced himself to calm down and focus on breathing.

The train continued on, unhindered, moving forward, as usual.

* * *

The second time he noticed it, he was in his car.

Other times, TaekWoon likes to drive. Of course, he has to pay attention to the road, but as soon as he makes it out of the noisy city, cruising along suburban roads is relaxing in its own way. He could turn on the radio at a low volume, only half-listening as he waits for the light to turn green.

If he hadn’t glanced at the clock on his dashboard, maybe he would have missed it.

It was the weekend. TaekWoon had declined his friends’ offer to hang out for dinner and chose instead to drive out somewhere by his lonesome to eat in peace. He’s not anti-social; rather, everyone has those moments where they’d rather spend time alone, right? TaekWoon was thinking about how much time he had left before he would need to head back to the campus and get ready for the school week ahead.

It was 6:47. It became 6:48. It flicked back to 6:47. It reverted back to 6:48.

TaekWoon blinked. Was he tired? Did he sleep enough the previous night? It’s not like he went out to party like everyone else usually did. Was his car broken somehow?

He didn’t get to delve on any deeper thoughts because suddenly the passenger door was wrenched open, and a stranger threw himself into the car.

TaekWoon didn’t even have the time to gasp as the stranger was almost shouting at him, “Drive. Drive! Just go!!”

Was the light green? Was there oncoming traffic? TaekWoon didn’t know. He just reflexively stomped on the gas and the car bumbled its way through the intersection, speeding forward. The stranger didn’t bother with the seatbelt, turning all the way around to look out the back window for whatever he was running from. Without even thinking about it, TaekWoon swerved down a perpendicular road, turning again and again until they had looped around in an odd square and were back on the previous street as before. Maybe it was enough to throw off the pursuer.

It seemed like the spontaneous tactic was good enough for the stranger, too, for he heaved a sigh of relief and relaxed in the passenger seat, turning back to the front as the car finally came to a stop at a red light. The stranger seemed to be admiring the car’s interior, running his hands along everything.

“Nice car,” he finally commented, flashing a bright smile.

TaekWoon, however, was not so carefree. He tried to use the tension in his hands gripping the steering wheel to distract himself from the fiery pain in his chest. He knew his body was shaking, and he couldn’t make himself stop.

“Who are you…?” he uttered in a hoarse whisper. He finally chanced looking over, and the stranger beside him seemed to be perplexed by the obvious question. Another spike of fire made his eyes scrunch up in pain, and he grabbed at the silver bracelet around his right wrist out of habit. “If… If you’re some kind of criminal, don’t wrap me up in whatever you’ve done… please…”

No answer. TaekWoon slowly opened one eye, but both suddenly flew open.

His car was empty. He jerked around in his seat, fumbled with the door handle and popped out of his car, spinning around to search the sidewalks and street. There was no sign of the stranger anywhere.

* * *

< Hyung you awake? >

It took TaekWoon a few minutes before he could reach out to where his phone was charging on the nightstand next to his bed. He had rolled to his knees while trying to catch his breath, keeping his head down so the world spinning around him wouldn’t make him puke. He shakily typed out a reply.

< I am, sorry. I’m having trouble getting up right now. You can go ahead if you want. >

The reply was swift in its arrival. < Nah I’ll wait for you >

TaekWoon knew the source of the messages was standing right outside his dorm-room door, so he sucked in a few deep breaths and let them out slowly as he straightened up and slid off of his bed. It had been a while since the last time he had trouble waking up in the morning. He’d grown so used to figuring out his sleeping pattern and adjusting it so he could get up with ease that he’d almost forgotten about this sort of awakening – feeling like he was suffocating as fire burned through his chest and the world around him spun.

Surely it was due to whatever strange event may or may not have happened the day before.

TaekWoon haphazardly shoved his feet into his sneakers as he swung the door open, somewhat out of breath. “Hey. Sorry.”

The dimple-cheeked guy standing just outside turned and shook his head. “It’s alright. We still have time. Catch your breath. You didn’t have to run.”

Huffing but still standing straight as he slowed down his breathing, TaekWoon retorted, “I wasn’t running, HongBin-ah. Or well, I’m later than usual. But I wasn’t running.”

HongBin flashed a grin. “Sure, hyung. Let’s go.”

“Did something happen?” HongBin asked once they were leisurely strolling down the sidewalk. “I can’t remember the last time you had trouble waking up.”

“Mm…” TaekWoon pinched his lips together, pondering. “No. I guess I just didn’t sleep well.”

“Hehh…” Luckily, HongBin didn’t pursue it as he stretched his arms up. “Man, time is going by so quickly. It feels like summer break just ended, but it’s already been… a month?!”

TaekWoon snorted. “I would say time flies when you’re having fun, but are we?”

“Not really,” HongBin replied back, laughing.

Their light banter continued as they slowly made their way across campus to the building where their respective classes were held. As usual, HongBin tagged along with TaekWoon all the way up to the door, TaekWoon sighing.

“It’s already late,” TaekWoon commented. “You didn’t have to follow me this far.”

“Nah, it’s fine. I’m bored of that class, anyway. I’ll see you later, then!”

“Yeah.”

Contrary to what HongBin said, he turned to swiftly trot the other direction where his own classroom was located. It was in this same direction about an hour later when the halls flooded with students that TaekWoon spotted HongBin swaggering back up to him again.

“You didn’t get in trouble, did you?” TaekWoon automatically asked.

HongBin scoffed lightly. “No, of course not. There was another kid who strolled in later than I did, and the teacher got onto him instead. Let’s go eat.”

TaekWoon’s stomach rumbled at the prospect of food.  He quickly agreed, but as they turned to go with the flow of the mass around them, TaekWoon froze.

A stranger was standing still in front of them. Rather, _the_ stranger was standing there.

The stranger’s face broke into that same bright smile when he realized TaekWoon was staring incredulously at him. He was standing in the middle of the hallway, an obstruction to the river of bodies that brushed by him on both sides. Very out of place, no books or bag on his person, but he stood with confidence, weight on one leg and hands resting simply by his sides.

TaekWoon had stopped in his tracks, his own hands trembling as the faltering thumping in his chest picked up. HongBin picked up immediately, looking back to see what happened.

“TaekWoon-hyung?” HongBin backtracked. “What’s wrong?”

TaekWoon ignored him. “You…” His voice came out hoarse.

The stranger approached them as if he was summoned. Everything about him screamed “COCKY ASSHOLE DON’T DO IT”.

“Hey, TaekWoon-ah,” he greeted, absolutely carefree.

“Eh?” HongBin finally noticed the stranger as he sidled up to the two. “You know TaekWoon-hyung?”

The stranger replied, “Of course I do. I’ve had my eye on him for… a while.”

Dumbfounded, HongBin turned to the main attraction. “Do you know this guy, hyung?”

TaekWoon subconsciously reached for his bracelet. “You’re… you’re that guy who jumped in my car yesterday…”

“Eh?!”

The sounds of surprise came from both HongBin and the stranger, much to TaekWoon’s own surprise. HongBin’s head was swiveling back and forth, utterly lost. The stranger kept his expression carefully neutral.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about…” he said.

“No… You…” TaekWoon racked his brain, trying to remember what happened. Did he really get a good look at that person from before? “Didn’t you… I was driving just outside of campus, and then you jumped in my car…”

“You’re mistaken. That wasn’t me.”

“Yah, this guy is weird. Let’s go, hyung.”

HongBin protectively wrapped his arm around TaekWoon’s broad shoulders and pulled him forward. The stranger only followed with his dark eyes, and they seemed to burn holes straight through TaekWoon’s chest.

* * *

“Eh?! TaekWoon-hyung has a secret admirer?!”

JaeHwan almost choked on the sandwich he was wolfing down when HongBin delivered the news during their lunch break later on. TaekWoon quietly fiddled with his food, still rather shell shocked about the whole ordeal.

HongBin’s eyes were bulging. “He just walked up to us out of nowhere. I’ve never even seen this guy before, and all of a sudden he just– Ahhhh this is weird!”

“You’re just mad he didn’t come onto you.”

“Excuse you. I am straight, so I fail to see how that would possibly make me any happier.”

“It doesn’t matter if you’re straight or crooked. If someone sees you as attractive, they’d let you know. You just have to say, ‘Hey, man, thanks for appreciating my handsome looks, but I can’t reciprocate your _hot_ feelings for me.’”

HongBin narrowed his eyes at JaeHwan. “What… did you even just…?”

Completely disregarding the youth’s glare, JaeHwan turned his attention to TaekWoon. “Did you ever get any secret love notes, hyung? Or flowers or chocolate or coffee? Yah, he can’t be a proper secret admirer if he doesn’t even know our TaekWoon-hyung loves coffee.”

TaekWoon shook his head, still wordless. Pouting a bit, JaeHwan leaned over until he caught TaekWoon’s gaze, but TaekWoon quickly averted his eyes to look elsewhere.

JaeHwan quirked his head to the side. “What, you don’t like it?”

“No…” TaekWoon murmured. “That’s… It’s actually…”

“Did you really meet him before?” HongBin asked.

Again, TaekWoon shook his head. He had decided maybe the person who jumped into his car was someone else. “I’ve never met him before. But… I don’t feel like he’s suspicious or anything. I think he’s a good person. Maybe.”

“Hyung, you can’t be real,” HongBin retorted. “You’ve only ever seen this guy hours ago, and you saw the way he acted. Those types of guys are no good. You can’t be swayed by whatever he says.”

TaekWoon finally looked up. “HongBin-ah. You said yourself, you believe in my intuition, right?”

“… well, yeah, but…”

“Please. Just trust me. I really don’t think he’s a bad guy.”

“ _Hyung_.”

TaekWoon smiled, passing a sweet bread to HongBin’s side of the table. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to suddenly jump into a relationship with him. I never said I liked him. I don’t even know his name.”

* * *

“HakYeon.” The stranger searched upward for half a second before he returned his gaze. “Cha HakYeon.”

They met again, outside of the trio’s classroom at the end of the day. It was the only class TaekWoon, JaeHwan, and HongBin had together, so they were in the process of bumping shoulders through the doorframe when TaekWoon stopped in his tracks again. The stranger was casually leaning on the wall opposite of the door, very obviously waiting for the class to end. When he spotted TaekWoon, the smile reappeared without faltering in the slightest at HongBin’s scowl. JaeHwan looked back and forth, intrigued.

TaekWoon stepped forward, though, and approached the stranger. “Sorry for what happened earlier today. We didn’t get to properly introduce ourselves. I’m Jung TaekWoon.”

“I know.” Another scowl from HongBin deflected. “My name is HakYeon. Cha HakYeon.” His smile almost turned into a smirk. “Nice to meet you.”

Why did that sentence chill TaekWoon to his core? He tried to appear unaffected as he gestured to his two friends who had ended up flanking him on both sides. “And this is JaeHwan and HongBin.”

HongBin barely spared a grunt. JaeHwan, on the other hand, was rather enthusiastic. He extended his hand – HakYeon shook it without batting an eye. “Nice to meet you! Anyone want coffee? Dinner, maybe?”

“Do you even go here?” HongBin cut off JaeHwan’s mindless blather. “Or have you just been stalking TaekWoon-hyung and trespassing on the school’s property?”

HakYeon’s brows quirked up as he glanced quickly at the source of meaningless aggression. “Is he your overprotective boyfriend, or…?”

Snorting, TaekWoon discreetly gripped HongBin’s arm to prevent his friend from broiling too far. “No, he’s just my friend. Overprotective, yes, but I’m not his type.”

“Good to know. And yes,” HakYeon addressed HongBin, “I’ve been attending this school for two years now. You haven’t seen me around before?”

What was it that caught TaekWoon’s attention at that moment? He basically stood in the middle of JaeHwan, HongBin, and HakYeon, so his attention should’ve been somewhere in that triangle. But his mind swiftly sidetracked to a window behind HakYeon. The world outside continued as usual, cars rumbling by during rush hour in order to get home.

The cars were pressing forward through traffic. The cars slowed almost to a stop before they reversed the slightest bit. They shot forward again.

TaekWoon could feel his heart thumping harder in his chest. “What was – ”

“Ah, yeah, I’ve seen you before.”

“Eh?” TaekWoon turned to HongBin. “I thought you said you never saw him before…”

HongBin frowned, scratching his head. “Did I? I guess I was wrong. I’ve seen him a few times here and there.”

“Yeah, weren’t you in my…” JaeHwan searched upwards. “…my something math class. Last year, right?”

“I think so,” HakYeon replied. “The teacher was Park HaNa, right?”

“Right! Right! Okay, I remember now.”

TaekWoon was frazzled all over again. When he looked at HakYeon, though, the stranger looked back at him, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

* * *

HakYeon had inserted himself into TaekWoon’s group. HongBin still wasn’t a fan of it.

“I don’t know what it is, hyung,” HongBin admitted to TaekWoon when it was only the two of them. “I mean, like you said, he doesn’t seem like a bad guy, but… there’s just something I’m not okay with.”

Meanwhile, TaekWoon was still trying to figure out how HongBin had so quickly and easily changed his mind about having seen HakYeon before. HakYeon had nothing to explain for it, either. He just smiled in that slightly mischievous manner and offered an answer void of substance. With a response like that, it’s no wonder HongBin still gave him the stink eye from behind.

HakYeon was actually a rather interesting person. He never made any attempt to study or do homework, but he still ended up with perfect grades. (He had grinned, stating, “I was top of my class through middle and high school.”) He never had anything else to do besides tag along with TaekWoon and his crew – nonchalantly ignoring HongBin’s pointed “don’t you have a home to live in?”

And for as much of a snarky, sassy, smart-ass he played himself off as, he seemed to be very skittish about storms. When the group gathered at a small table in the eastern hall in the science wing with their books strewn about, HakYeon kept his eyes trained on the window to watch as the rain fell outside, tensing whenever lightning happened to flash. Even though HongBin clearly wanted to make a remark, he only passed a scowl before going back to his work.

“You don’t like storms?” TaekWoon had asked quietly. “Do you want to move somewhere else?”

HakYeon stiffly shook his head and continued to glare outside.

TaekWoon _said_ he wasn’t going to suddenly jump into a relationship with this guy, but with each day, he found himself pulled into HakYeon more and more. When their arms barely brushed together, it felt like lightning running across his skin. HakYeon would stare at TaekWoon during their study sessions, and more often, TaekWoon would stare back. He found no reason to doubt HakYeon in any shape or form.

“Alright, TaekWoon-hyung, I’m off.”

TaekWoon looked up from his notes on his living room table. Sitting directly across from him, HakYeon looked up as well. HongBin stood, stretching a bit before reaching back down to the table to gather his things, carelessly tossing them into his bag.

“Going to WonShik’s party?” TaekWoon asked lightly.

HongBin gave his signature scowl. “Yeah, SangHyuk won’t shut up about it, like it’s gonna be the party of the century or something. But I’ve been ignoring him for the last three parties, so I guess I have to indulge him this time.”

“I’m sure it’ll be fun. It is WonShik, after all.”

“Yeah, yeah. I still have class tomorrow, though, so I’ll probably ditch early.” It seemed like HongBin was reminded of HakYeon’s presence for he suddenly threw a glare at the mystery classmate. He didn’t say anything, though, and tromped to the front door, giving a short farewell as he shut the door behind him.

HakYeon looked over at TaekWoon. “You’re not going to the party? They say it’s the party of the century.”

Smiling, TaekWoon replied, “No, I don’t go to parties. I prefer to stay in.”

“Hmmm…?” HakYeon leaned forward on the table, elbow propping up his hand underneath his chin. “And just what do you do all by yourself when everyone else is off partying?”

It only just hit TaekWoon that they were alone for the first time. In his apartment. In his living room. With only a table separating them. The thought made goosebumps rise on his skin. “I just… study…”

* * *

His skin was on fire.

“H-HakYeon…”

He was only replied with a hum, shivering as HakYeon pressed his lips to the base of TaekWoon’s neck.

HakYeon had TaekWoon pressed against the sofa. His hands were free to roam, and one was balled into the material of HakYeon’s shirt while the other gripped HakYeon’s arm. The mystery classmate’s own naughty hands wandered all over TaekWoon’s body.

“Gods, you’re so beautiful,” HakYeon breathed.

His lips finally reached TaekWoon’s again, and whatever TaekWoon was about to say was easily forgotten.

He should’ve noticed it sooner. The fire.

TaekWoon battled to get his wits about him, somewhat failing as HakYeon ran one hand down TaekWoon’s side. “HakYeon, w-wait…” But his protest was silenced by kisses again.

_I have to stop…_

Somehow, he didn’t want to stop. So he didn’t stop. And the world slowly began to burn away at the edges, burn away to darkness.

* * *

“ _Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy_.”

It was a mouthful to say, especially when TaekWoon was still in the midst of catching his breath, but it tumbled from his lips easily, words rehearsed to repeat over the years. HongBin still had trouble saying the title without stuttering every now and then.

HakYeon was toying with the bracelet around TaekWoon’s wrist, only just recognizing the symbol on the curved silver band. The two were still in the living room, but HakYeon had laid TaekWoon out on his back when the pained gasping started, frantically shoving the living room table to the side because what was going on? After TaekWoon had recovered enough, HakYeon had maneuvered TaekWoon so his head rested in HakYeon’s lap. His expression was defeated, as if he was saying _I knew it_.

HakYeon’s lap was warm, and it helped TaekWoon to relax. “It started soon after my first year of high school, so I couldn’t play soccer or do anything athletic anymore. My senior year, they tried surgery, but the effects of that didn’t last, either. Medications got less effective. They suggested to fly me to the States and get treatment there…”

“And…?”

“I didn’t want to.”

Irritation passed through HakYeon’s eyes. “Why not? You could’ve been treated and gotten better and gotten your normal life back.”

How many times had that very sentence replayed through TaekWoon’s mind? “It just seemed like the right thing to do. My heart already rejected so many things. I didn’t want to bother it anymore.”

The defeated expression reappeared, and HakYeon sighed, shaking his head. “Why would you let them play you like this…?”

TaekWoon didn’t know who HakYeon was talking about, but he still mumbled, “Sorry…”

HakYeon just shook his head again, dispelling the apology. “So I assume this is why HongBin is such a pushy bodyguard?”

TaekWoon snorted. “Yeah. We’ve been friends since childhood, so we know everything about each other. Even after I was diagnosed, he refused to leave my side. It’s the only way my parents would let me leave home to go to university, too, under the condition that HongBin would look out for me.”

“Under the condition that he would repel everything from physical tests to boyfriends?”

“Seems like it. Honestly, it never occurred to me that it was possible.”

“What, having a boyfriend?”

TaekWoon paused for a bit, looking up into HakYeon’s eyes. “No. Just… having a future.”

Silence settled between them. For a while, they just stared into each other’s eyes. Then HakYeon lifted a hand to pass his fingers through TaekWoon’s hair.

“I know a thing or two about the future,” HakYeon replied, “and I know you’ll be in my future for a long time.”

A grin slowly spread on TaekWoon’s face. “That’s the grossest thing I’ve ever heard.”

Gross or not, TaekWoon remained where he was, letting HakYeon stroke his hair until he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Everything was in ruins. Fire took over the sky, and the air reeked of blood and burning flesh.

He expected that. They’d been fighting for who knows how many years now, but the violence had multiplied intensely only within the last few months. Rather than isolated ambushes here and there, now they were launching full out raids even where there were civilians. They should’ve known it was only a matter of time before the rules of engagement would be broken.

Those were merely minor details in TaekWoon’s mind. Something much more pressing lay heavily in the pit of his stomach. Something that made his legs weak and his head feel like it was about to burst. So he kept running. Running along streets and through alleys, trying to get closer to the source even though he wanted to run from it. No, he was _drawn_ to the feeling even more.

He knew why. But he didn’t want to know why. But he had to go there.

His other half. The balance.

“Lord! Our Lord!!”

TaekWoon whipped his head around to where the voice came from. Two kids, children from the school on the higher hill, stumbled in his direction on unsteady legs, their young faces streaked with grime and tears. From their hands to just past their wrists were stained with blood.

One grabbed a hold of TaekWoon’s cloak and yanked him in the direction they had come from. “Lord, please! This way!”

He didn’t even give it a second thought, easily overtaking them with his much longer strides. However, his steps were slow, much too slow. Not as if his legs or body were heavy with fatigue; his heart was pumping wildly enough to lift him off of the ground. No, he was just slow.

Time wasn’t moving forward enough.

He reached the crest of the hill, the kids gasping as they tried to catch up to him. There was no more physical threat left at the top, and the souls that remained were those of the students and maybe an adult or two. Their keens pierced straight through TaekWoon’s chest as he pushed his sluggish legs forward.

“Lord! Lord HakYeon!”

“Wake up! Wake up, _please_!!”

“A-ah! Lord TaekWoon!”

The children had formed a ring around a corpse. It was a corpse.

TaekWoon became oblivious to any other sound besides the steady churn of ice that seemed to roll through his veins. The crowd had pushed back to allow TaekWoon access.

Why was HakYeon laying on the ground?

Why was everyone crying all around him?

Why was there blood everywhere?

_Why?_

_HakYeon…_

He had already fallen to his knees and pulled HakYeon’s body into his arms. The warmth was already almost gone, the body much too heavy and still.

_HakYeon…_

TaekWoon’s head hurt. He squeezed his eyes shut and clutched HakYeon even closer to him.

_No no no no…_

He wasn’t even thinking as he began to pull at the power from deep within his body. He couldn’t let this happen. Even if he was smote for all eternity…

TaekWoon gasped, his eyes flying open.

Odd. The fires in the sky still seemed to burn through the window of his dorm. But one thing was for certain.

He couldn’t breathe.

The pain in his chest crushed his insides, seeming to press all of the air out of his lungs. TaekWoon gagged.

_HakYeon…!_

“TaekWoon?”

He was alive. _He was alive._ HakYeon suddenly stepped into view, a fearful expression on his face as he looked down at TaekWoon.

TaekWoon coughed. “HakYeon…”

He tried to reach for HakYeon, but his arms wouldn’t move. He couldn’t push himself up to a sitting position. He needed to touch him, _had_ to. _He was alive._

“TaekWoon-ah! Calm down!”

_Yes_. TaekWoon could feel as HakYeon frantically gripped one of TaekWoon’s hands in his own, the other pressing against TaekWoon’s forehead and then running down to cradle his cheek. _He felt real._ He could feel HakYeon’s hands. _He felt real._

But so did the corpse.

That did TaekWoon in. He still couldn’t breathe, but suddenly he was sobbing uncontrollably, tears streaming endlessly from his eyes and rolling down to his hairline, and HakYeon became even more frantic. TaekWoon finally managed to wrap his arms around HakYeon’s body, clinging tightly, his fingers twisting into HakYeon’s shirt. HakYeon did the same, and he slowly ran one hand up and down TaekWoon’s back, quietly murmuring words TaekWoon could barely hear between his own gasps.

He wasn’t sure of how long it took before he was breathing steadily again. The fiery light had dimmed to a dull sort of gray, but HakYeon still held him in the same position.

“Shh, it’s okay. Just keep breathing. Slowly.”

If he concentrated only on HakYeon’s words, TaekWoon could. His hiccups smoothed out to even breaths. His head didn’t feel like it was about to explode anymore.

“What’s wrong? Were you having a nightmare?”

The images came back to the front of his mind, and TaekWoon clutched HakYeon tightly again. “Yes… It was… the worst thing I’d ever seen…”

“What happened?” HakYeon pulled away just enough to look TaekWoon in the eyes. “Do you want to tell me?”

TaekWoon haltingly tried to recount every detail which was still burning vividly in his mind. When he got to the point when he had reached the top of the hill, when the kids broke the circle to let TaekWoon through, he stopped abruptly and squeezed his eyes shut. Never mind telling it out loud; he could barely stand to remember the image.

But HakYeon hovered over him with an incredibly disturbed expression on his face. He had frozen his soothing movements as TaekWoon recounted the nightmare, listening intently.

TaekWoon buried his face in HakYeon’s arm. “I was so scared… It just… I thought it was real. It felt so real, I didn’t even think it was a dream.”

HakYeon didn’t reply for a while, but when he did, his voice was strained, as if he was keeping himself from screaming.

“That’s… because it wasn’t a dream.”


	2. Chapter 2

TaekWoon finally got his wits together. He was fully aware that he was in his dorm. He and HakYeon had officially – kind of, sort of – become a “thing” a few weeks ago which still made HongBin sour, but he didn’t object to it. The four still met up around campus to hang out, but when the nightlife hour came along, they would part ways, HakYeon always trailing after TaekWoon so they could sit quietly in TaekWoon’s dorm.

TaekWoon remembered that particular day, they went out to eat dinner before going back to the dorm. Well, they went out to dinner, but TaekWoon didn’t exactly have much appetite; they split an entrée and dessert. When they arrived back at TaekWoon’s dorm, he collapsed to the couch to recharge with a quick nap.

He had pulled himself together.

But HakYeon confused him all over again.

“We were gods.”

Normally, at this point, a person should respond, “You’re out of your mind. What are you talking about? Have you been doing drugs?” But even though the words HakYeon spoke were outlandish, TaekWoon felt no doubt that HakYeon was telling the truth. It was like old news, some detail TaekWoon had known before but forgot through the years.

That doesn’t mean it made any sense, though. “What do you mean?” TaekWoon asked.

“We were gods,” HakYeon repeated. He then held out both of his hands, palms up. “The two gods of Time, each of us in charge of one direction. You were in charge of time moving backwards, time in retrospect, memories, restraint, and careful judgement. I am in charge of time moving forwards, time in prospect, aspirations, hastiness, and spontaneity. Together, Time’s twin lovers worked in a balance, perfectly moving forward by each second.”

“So… a polytheist world? Like the Greek gods?”

“Mmm, yeah, kind of. Different people will tell you different things. But seeing how I’m the real deal, you can trust what I say.

“In any case,” HakYeon continued, “we were gods doing our godly things. Humans worshipped us for one reason or another, and we did our thing. We weren’t restricted to our heavenly roost in the clouds, though, so you were always nosing around in the human world. But that was fine. No one would do anything about it since, really, all you did was stroll around and play with children. No one _could_ do anything about it because we were gods.

“Well, you know how stories go. Someone felt mad about something, so that human gathered other like-minded humans and started to confront the gods. Obviously, we were immortal, invincible beings, so they couldn’t directly do anything to us. But the people who worshipped us fought back in our stead. It wasn’t pretty. Humans died, left and right, and we couldn’t do anything about it. If we got entangled in their war, we became mortal, susceptible to injury and death like any other human.

“Of course none of us gods were a fan of what was going on, but no one wanted to go down to try and stop everything, either. Sure, one or two would go down to lend a hand here and there, but it was never anything that would change the course of the war. It wasn’t until they directly attacked one city you happened to favor that you suddenly changed your mind. You disappeared into the city one day without a word. I tried to find you, got caught in the middle of an ambush, and – still embarrassed to say – I lost the fight and died.”

The nightmare rose again to the front of TaekWoon’s mind, and he squeezed HakYeon’s hand. He hadn’t realized HakYeon had been holding his hands the entire time.

“It happened just as you saw. I was gone before you reached me. But you, stupid idiot, thought you couldn’t live without me and decided you’d break the biggest rule in the godly house: You decided to use your godly power to turn back time and bring me back to life, Fate be damned. Well, as soon as I took my first breath, we were swept up by those annoying hall monitors up to Mr. Big himself.”

Another image came to TaekWoon’s mind, that same feeling of an old, old memory slowly rising up from the depths of his mind. Kneeling in a huge chamber, darkness surrounding him save for the burning lights on both of his sides. The darkness didn’t cloak the pressure of the presence of the others who stood in the chamber, especially not the incredible power that stood in front of him.

He knew everything was over. He accepted it.

_“Stop!!”_

HakYeon’s voice was clear, even in his mind.

“You took the punishment for me,” TaekWoon interrupted, finally speaking up.

HakYeon’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. “Going against Fate for any selfish reason is unforgiveable. For your sentence, I would have become a mortal human, and you would have had to live and watch as I reincarnated and died in front of you for all eternity. An endless cycle. My last-ditch plea worked, so our sides were switched. Now I’m the one who has met you a million times in a million different lives only to see you die in one way or another. Then it’s just skip, skip, skip through time until I find you again.”

“So all those times… It was you, wasn’t it? On the train, in my car… when things were going backwards…”

“Mm I guess so. When I leave your late manifestation to find your next one, I have to jump forward in small bits until I find you. I can only do small bits because I might overshoot. I did that, once, and found you just as you got an arrow in the heart. That was more of an annoyance than a heartbreak. Anyway, as I’ve said before, I’m in charge of time moving forward. Even though you were gone, I was not allowed to go backwards, but I still did it in small bits, too. That’s how I was able to root myself into your friends’ memories. Of course, if I do that too much, then the hall monitors find out and try to catch me to punish me.”

“Hall monitors?”

“Oh, I just call them that because that’s how annoying they are. They’re also twin gods but of the sun and stars. Daytime. Light. Whatever.”

“So… that time you jumped in my car? Were you running from them?”

“You got it.”

TaekWoon let out a deep breath. It was still incomprehensible. How was this really possible? Was it even real? It could very easily just be a ridiculous story HakYeon made up for… what reason?

But no. As he looked into HakYeon’s dark eyes that twinkled with elfish mirth, he knew with certainty, the memories that came to him and the familiarity of the words HakYeon spoke, all of it was true.

“A million times in a million different lives…” TaekWoon murmured.

HakYeon nodded. “Yup. A different person each time even if there are some parts that are still the same. Once, you were a haughty little rich kid. That was annoying. I even met you in Vegas one time.”

“Vegas? What was I doing there?”

A slow smirk wormed its way onto HakYeon’s face, and it made a chill go down TaekWoon’s spine. “Well, I’m sure you know how the saying goes.”

“But have I always been… broken… like this?”

“Ill of sorts? No. There were times when you were perfectly normal and happened upon an accident one way or another. There was one time you were happily married with a wife and children, and I had to resort to being the gay friend with an unrequited love. Save for being president, I think you’ve been everything a human could possibly be.”

TaekWoon moved closer to HakYeon on the sofa until he could rest his head against HakYeon’s shoulder. Throwing his arm up and around TaekWoon’s shoulders, HakYeon pulled him in and buried his nose in TaekWoon’s hair.

“How many times…” TaekWoon whispered, “have you told me, ‘Nice to meet you’?”

“More times than I’ve breathed.”

His voice caught in his throat before TaekWoon could ask the next question. “How long will it be… before I die?”

HakYeon didn’t reply.

* * *

There were some times when TaekWoon dreamed of what he believes were his – and HakYeon’s – past lives. Of course, HakYeon was there. He hadn’t changed. Still that warm, bronze skin. The ever-present sunshine smile. Sometimes his hair color changed between dreams from chocolate brown to jet black to copper. Sometimes they were walking hand in hand in public, minds on each other and paying no heed to anyone around them. Other times, they could only manage to barely brush elbows while standing on the train to somewhere.

TaekWoon wondered if this was normal, if maybe in a past life, he also dreamed of his former lives. For instance, in the life HakYeon had told of when TaekWoon already had a family, after finally meeting HakYeon, did he realize their timeless destiny? Did he try to keep HakYeon close and end up discarding his established home? Did he end up passing on without even telling HakYeon that he knew?

Did he know? Did he ever know like he did now?

< Let’s meet > HakYeon texted immediately, when TaekWoon brought up his thoughts to him. < I’ve been thinking about this, and I wanna talk to you >

TaekWoon didn’t think HakYeon would so suddenly show up at his dorm door right after TaekWoon finished reading the text message, just as he and JaeHwan were about to go to the rec center. HakYeon stared blankly at the two.

“Eh? Where are you going?” HakYeon asked.

TaekWoon was too dumbstruck by HakYeon’s presence that JaeHwan had to respond. “Yoga! Every Saturday morning, to make sure our TaekWoonie doesn’t get out of shape.”

“Ohh? HongBin doesn’t go?”

“Pshh, no. Says it’s so not manly of him. Just because we’re the only guys in the class doesn’t mean it’sss… nnnnot manly. You ready to go?”

The stretch happened. It hadn’t happened in a while, so TaekWoon was a little caught off guard, but in the middle of JaeHwan’s sentence being deformed, he saw the trees sway the slightest bit. Even more blatantly obvious was how HakYeon’s attire morphed from a T-shirt and jeans to active wear. TaekWoon glared at HakYeon, but the god just cheekily smiled back at him.

As JaeHwan energetically led the way, loudly singing some nonsense song along the way, TaekWoon whispered to HakYeon, “What would you have done if the hall monitors caught you?”

“They didn’t catch me,” HakYeon replied. “I ran quickly.”

TaekWoon’s disapproving scowl was rewarded with a cheek pinch and a coo. It’s not that TaekWoon was upset or displeased about seeing HakYeon unannounced; of course, it was the opposite, TaekWoon shyly latching to the hem of HakYeon’s shirt as they crossed the campus.

TaekWoon and JaeHwan took their usual spot on the side of the room, HakYeon perching just behind them. To say TaekWoon wasn’t amused at the overall experience would be a lie; hearing HakYeon comment about how it was the first time he’d ever seen JaeHwan so quiet (a slight smirk from the subject in response because the class had already started, and they were supposed to be focused on their breathing) and seeing HakYeon struggle to keep up with the class would have made him burst out laughing. If he could, anyway.

“With as lean as you are, I expected you to be in better shape!” JaeHwan commented.

HakYeon had sweat running down the sides of his face, his hands propped on his hips as he tried to catch his breath. “That was _not_ yoga. That was some North Korean military version of stretching.”

JaeHwan burst out laughing, and he looked down to bring TaekWoon into the teasing, but at the sight of TaekWoon sitting limply against a mirrored wall, long, thin breaths barely passing through his lips, the loud friend immediately switched to serious mode, crouching down until he was eye-level with TaekWoon. HakYeon didn’t miss the transformation and stepped forward in concern.

“I’m… okay,” TaekWoon wheezed out instantly, raising a hand. “I just… need to catch my breath.”

“Are you sure?” JaeHwan demanded. “Do you want me to carry you?”

That brought some life back into TaekWoon. “Absolutely not!”

“When was your last transfusion?”

“I scheduled one for later today.”

“You bingo! Why did you go to class today if it was already time? HongBin is gonna yell at me now!”

HakYeon looked from TaekWoon to JaeHwan in confusion. “Transfusion?”

“Blood transfusion,” TaekWoon said simply. “Just one of the things that keep me alive.”

HakYeon frowned at the wry smile that spread on TaekWoon’s face from his last comment. “Do you want me to take you?”

“No, no. It’s really boring. You wouldn’t want to go. Literally, all I do is lay down for about an hour. Sometimes, I even fall asleep. You can’t even go in the room, so you’d have to sit in the waiting room for that long.”

Smiling, HakYeon replied, “I’ve waited for longer. I’ll go with you. Now, are you _sure_ you don’t want us to carry you out?”

It’s safe to say both HakYeon and TaekWoon were glad to see the new state of post-transfusion TaekWoon, walking easily on his own with a faint flush coloring his normally pale cheeks.  When HakYeon extended his hand, TaekWoon hesitated for the slightest bit before shyly reaching out to take it.

“What did you want to talk about?” TaekWoon finally asked.

The two had parked themselves at a nearby coffee shop. HakYeon was thrilled that TaekWoon was hungry, for once, and they stepped into the first place they found, partly because it had coffee, partly because it had delicious-looking pastries. The demolished remains of a waffle sat on the table between them, and they were left with slowly sipping the remains of their drinks. HakYeon was more interested in watching TaekWoon with his chin propped between his hands in the shape of a V.

HakYeon’s eyebrows perked up. “Oh, yeah! So here’s the thing…” He sat up, and TaekWoon took that as a cue to sit up straight, as well.

“You brought up how, first of all, you saw our past in your dream, when and how I died in clear detail. And ever since then, you’ve been seeing our past lives. Even before we properly met, you could see when I would bend time to fix the present. But what’s interesting about it…” HakYeon leaned over the table for added dramatic effect. “This has never happened before.”

“Eh?” TaekWoon felt his fragile heart skip a beat. “You mean I was never aware of these things before? Even after meeting you?”

HakYeon nodded. “Each life, we were always strangers. You never second-guessed my existence, never noticed anything weird about me or our relationship. No vivid dreams. Nothing.” TaekWoon fell silent, so HakYeon pressed on. “I’ve been trying to figure out what’s so different about this life. It’s not like I changed what I’ve been doing. There have been other lives where I bent time even more just so our paths could run together. And you’ve had similar lives to this one, so I can’t peg it on you, either.”

“What does this mean, then? Why is it changing like this?”

“It’s just my futile hope, but… Maybe this sentence is finally ending. Maybe that phrase, ‘for all eternity’, isn’t literal. I mean, I can’t even come up with a number for how long we’ve been living like this. Maybe Fate or someone else is getting bored of seeing the same thing over and over again, so they’re finally cutting us some slack. The faster I keep moving Time forward, the closer it gets to Earth’s inevitable end. Then who would they get to bully around?”

TaekWoon let the last bit fly over his head. “What are the chances of that, though? Would any of the others really do that?”

Shrugging, HakYeon sat back and crossed his arms. “I don’t know if they’re being so generous or if they just forgot about us, in general. I’m just being conceited. But you can understand where I’m coming from, right?”

“I guess… But with my condition, what if…”

“What if you randomly drop at any time?” HakYeon reached out to grasp TaekWoon’s hands. “That’s what I’m afraid of, too. I find it peculiar that this would start happening in a life like this. Maybe it’s a test. Who knows? So maybe, just…” He let out a scoff, shaking his head. “Just… be careful. Try not to die.”

TaekWoon grinned despite himself. “Of course.”

HakYeon had already drifted off to sleep, his elbow propped up on the sofa in TaekWoon’s living room to support his head. TaekWoon was laying sideways across the sofa cushions, watching HakYeon as he dozed. Slowly, he reached out to softly rest his hand on HakYeon’s arm, but HakYeon didn’t stir. The skin beneath TaekWoon’s touch thrummed gently, his chilled fingertips slowly seeping in the warmth.

Feeling his fragile heart flutter, he pressed his other hand to his chest. Inside, it continued to beat steadily. He hoped it wouldn’t falter anymore.

* * *

HakYeon made a sour face. “What the _heck_? Why are you asking me about HongBin?”

TaekWoon shrugged. “I mean, reincarnation is a thing, so why wouldn’t everyone else be included?”

“And you think I would pay attention to something like _that_?”

“Hey, he’s my friend. Besides, I was just wondering if he was ever there. I wasn’t asking if I was ever in a relationship with him. Even JaeHwan.”

The scowl on HakYeon’s face only enhanced. “Don’t know. Don’t wanna know. Not important, anyway.”

The days afterwards seemed to go in slow motion. HongBin was yet to accepting of the arrangement, but he had upgraded from ignoring HakYeon to trying to counter whatever he said or just general bickering. JaeHwan loved the entertainment, and TaekWoon only sometimes thought about mediating. As each day passed, it seemed like TaekWoon could breathe more and more.

Not just in a physical sense. Used to be, he could feel as each day became more and more difficult to exist, then revived because of his scheduled transfusions, and then the whole tiring process all over again. But after HakYeon came – back – into his life, it felt like TaekWoon’s fragile heart seemed to be healing little by little each day. Maybe it’s just because he was so enamored with HakYeon that he wasn’t paying attention to himself. No, he definitely would have been able to tell.

Each day he could move a step further. Longer walks, longer days, nothing hindered by a flutter in his chest. They had upgraded to… other things, things that made TaekWoon blush at the thought, things that would have made HongBin shriek and bottle rocket TaekWoon off to a monastery. But TaekWoon wanted to live. He wanted to live and experience everything – all over again – with HakYeon. Regardless if his life would shortly end or miraculously continue to its proper conclusion.

Was it wrong to simply ask to live?

The people around him slowed. Seemed to backtrack for one step. Then they continued on their way. TaekWoon didn’t even conceal rolling his eyes as HakYeon was suddenly beside him.

“ _Stop_ ,” he insisted, not at all meaning it as he tried to scold HakYeon. “You’ll get in trouble with the hall monitors.”

HakYeon waved his hand. “It’s fine. How was your visit to the parents?”

“It was fine. My sister and her family were there, so we talked for a while. They seemed happy that I came out to see them.”

“That’s good. I’m sure they were happy to see you well and healthy, too.”

The two came to a stop at an intersection, waiting with a small crowd for the lights to change. It was a bustling weekend afternoon, sidewalk vendors with their goods on display, couples and groups out enjoying the weather, the Gods of Time standing idly, existing in the same space and time.

Was it wrong to simply ask to idly exist in the same space and time?

Briefly, TaekWoon wondered if somehow he had retrieved his godly powers. For some reason, things were moving in slow motion again. Where he should have been holding his gaze with HakYeon, his attention was drawn to a smaller shape moving in the corner of his eye. Someone. Briskly moving to catch something else.

“HyukGyun-ah? HYUKGYUN!!”

Ah. Time snapped back in place.

But then time was slow again…?

TaekWoon lunged without thinking, bending down to scoop up the briskly-moving someone who had been in the corner of his eye. A child chasing after some toy that had bounced into the street, into incoming traffic. A car, moving too swiftly to process slamming on the brakes in time. TaekWoon yanked the child back but lost his balance, and he fell backwards onto the pavement.

There was an explosion of light, and time wasn’t moving anymore. The sounds of the street were immediately cut off, only an odd murmur left behind. He still felt like he was falling, but he could have sworn his back already fell against the sidewalk.

The only sound he could hear was HakYeon’s voice.

_“… no no no no NO NO NO!! PLEASE!!”_

Why was he begging? Why did it sound like he was screaming when TaekWoon could barely hear his voice?

_“Please, I don’t care anymore! Let me go back! Please! TaekWoon!!”_

What happened? Time hadn’t stopped, but everything was moving so slowly, like everyone around him was caught in molasses. The child he had pulled back was only just scrambling to his feet to run back to a lady whose arms were stretched out towards TaekWoon, as if she had attempted to help break his fall. The crowd that had stood around him were slowly turning around to see what the commotion was about. And HakYeon…

“TaekWoon… TaekWoon-ah…”

He could hear HakYeon’s voice, but where was he? Why couldn’t TaekWoon move anymore? His entire body, too, seemed like it was falling in slow motion.

There, suddenly, HakYeon appeared in his vision. It was blinding. Giant masses of light surrounded HakYeon, seemingly holding him back from getting too close to TaekWoon, but HakYeon, tears streaming from his eyes and expression stricken with despair, fought against them with all his might, wrestling to free his hands so he could gently touch TaekWoon’s face.

_HakYeon…_ TaekWoon couldn’t even speak out loud. He couldn’t control his own body anymore. _I’m so sorry, HakYeon…_

“No… No, please, TaekWoon. We were so close. I _know_ we were,” HakYeon sobbed.

_I thought it could be this lifetime, but I guess not. I’m sorry._

“No, dammit… I hate you…” HakYeon’s tears fell against TaekWoon’s face.

_I’m sorry. I love you. I’m so sorry…_

Another sob wracked HakYeon’s whole body, seemed to tear through TaekWoon’s body as well. Trembling, HakYeon brought their lips together for a fleeting kiss, one that TaekWoon was unable to reciprocate.

_I love you. I love you. I’m sorry._

“I love you. I… I guess… I’ll see you in the next life…”

HakYeon’s tears rolled down TaekWoon’s cheek, crossing paths with the streams that had fallen from TaekWoon’s eyes. HakYeon kissed him again, and then he sat back. The massive lights engulfed HakYeon, but TaekWoon relinquished the last of his strength to continue holding on to the god’s hand until the edges of his vision burned away, the image of HakYeon faded to nothing, and everything was silent and gone.

* * *

What did the afterlife feel like?

For a situation like TaekWoon, did he have an afterlife? Or did his next life just begin right after the previous one ended?

His first observation about death was that it felt heavy.

His mind was cloudy.

Maybe it was some kind of purgatory. His soul floated about in limbo while the gods tinkered around with his next storyline, trying to decide how he would suffer next.

There was a searing pain in his chest. So they would go that route again?

The pain would be borderline excruciating, then ebb away, then somewhat rear its head, then fade. It was an annoying cycle. Could the gods just make up their minds already?

He heard voices, somewhat. It was hard to discern what, exactly, they were saying. Sometimes there was a feeling, a slight zing where his hand should be. A warm feeling, somehow sad where his heart should be.

No.

He definitely had a physical body.

What’s happening?

_“… oon… ar me, s… d…”_

What’s happening? Who is that?

_“… cio… lev… isin… ry a…”_

There it was again. That strange feeling on his hand.

“…ekWo… hi, if yo… hear me… ze my ha…”

The pain rose again and blurred his senses, turned his thoughts into incoherent mumbles. Then it was gone, and everything felt heavy again. And cold.

It was cold. His body was cold.

There was sound. A constant, repetitive noise. TaekWoon had to think for a while before he remembered the word. Beeping.

He was breathing.

Was this his next life already?

More sounds. What was it… Footsteps, motion, humans. Voices.

“… try again in thirty minutes. Let me know what the response is.”

“Yes, doctor.”

“Okay, then.” The voice was much closer, it felt like. “How are we doing today, Mr. Jung TaekWoon-sshi?”

_Who… How do you know me?_

TaekWoon’s sluggish brain was only starting to wake, and the voices around him became sharper. There were at least two people around him, two different voices. Someone said doctor. Was he in a hospital?

TaekWoon opened his eyes, and the immediate explosion of light and color was disorienting.

“Oh! That… was unexpected.”

His head swam as his brain tried to make sense of what was going on. What his eyes saw were blurs, globs of mystery that were fuzzy around the edges. They shifted around him, and he kept blinking, trying to figure out why he couldn’t see.

“TaekWoon-sshi, can you see me?”

A debatable question. Whatever the surface was beneath him seemed to spin, and TaekWoon squeezed his eyes shut to fend off the vertigo. He could feel something moving, pounding in his chest. His heart. His frail heart could never move like this, so surely it must be a new life, right?

 

It was late afternoon. The sun was shining lazily through the blinds on the window in the living room. TaekWoon stretched his legs out, pushing his arms up to stretch those, too. He’d been sitting in one spot while studying for too long. He breathed in deeply, and his exhale turned into a yawn. He was still getting used to those.

Just out of arm’s reach, his cat raised his head, awakened by the noise his human was making. It blinked one eye open sleepily and yawned as well, ending it with a small mew.

“Sure, as if you didn’t eat yourself into a food coma just an hour ago,” TaekWoon mused.

The cat – TaekWoon had named him N, disregarding HongBin’s confused stare – looked as if he couldn’t even keep his eyes open. He stood then, arching his back impressively to stretch before turning round and round in order to rearrange himself into a new sleeping position.

TaekWoon chuckled. The idea of keeping a pet was still something a bit new to him, too. But cats were easy, JaeHwan had said. Just feed them, flush their toilet, and let them be. It was just as he’d said. The tuxedo-colored cat was just needy enough that TaekWoon didn’t have to try too hard to take care of him. It would flop onto TaekWoon’s lap whenever it wanted.

He looked back to the pile of stuff on his living room table. That was enough studying for the day, he decided. It was about dinnertime, anyway. His shuffling around of papers and closing books still didn’t bother N, save for one ear twitching in his general direction. But when TaekWoon stood up, suddenly N was wide awake and giving out a meow, much louder this time.

“Are you seriously hungry again?” Was TaekWoon turning into that person who spoke to his animals as if he was expecting a response?

N let out a disgruntled _mrrrpp_ and stood again, arched his back again, and made to jump off the arm of the couch.

It should have been more of a surprise.

Halfway through his drop, N slowed down in midair. He almost went in reverse back onto the sofa. Then he landed neatly on his feet like nothing had just happened, looking up expectantly at TaekWoon.

What it wasn’t expecting was the sudden pounding at TaekWoon’s front door. The cat started and dashed into the bedroom in the blink of an eye. Smiling widely, TaekWoon strode quickly to the door and threw it open without even checking the peephole because he already knew.

HakYeon was on the other side.

Looking incredibly harried, actually, and he only managed a squawk of surprise as TaekWoon yanked him into his dorm room and slammed the door behind him lest the hall monitors managed to catch up to the God of Time.

HakYeon was still spluttering, hands reaching out and patting up and down TaekWoon’s body, eyes wide like he’d seen a ghost. “You—what—TaekWoon, what’s—"

TaekWoon took HakYeon’s frantic hands and gently placed them against his chest where a heart thumped strongly inside. “It seems there was a miracle.”

Still dumbfounded, HakYeon stared at their hands for a second. Then he looked into TaekWoon’s eyes again. “What do you mean?”

“At the site of the accident, apparently there was a doctor there. He’s a pretty famous doctor, and he knew what was happening, so somehow… even though I died, somehow he kept me alive all the way to the hospital. And it just so happened at that moment, there was a donor. So…” TaekWoon pulled the collar of his T-shirt down just enough for HakYeon to see the surgical scar that ran down the center of his chest. “I have a new heart.”

“Y-you… You’re…” HakYeon cautiously ran his fingers along the scar, his hands trembling.

“I’m _alive_. It’s almost been a year, and there haven’t been any rejections or complications. I’ve been able to do everything I couldn’t do before. Now, I don’t really know what this means, like if I’m still mortal or not, but—"

HakYeon cut him off as he threw himself at TaekWoon and crashed their lips together. TaekWoon stumbled one step backwards but smiled into the kiss, tightly wrapping his arms around HakYeon’s midsection. They kissed with fervor, never moving from the same spot by the door. Even when TaekWoon had to release one hand to wipe the tears that began to trail along HakYeon’s cheeks, they stayed connected. He would never let go, for all eternity.

**Author's Note:**

> More cross-posting.


End file.
